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Diablos Ecology
Disclaimer: This is merely a plausible explanation for the monster(s) in this article, and should not be considered canon. In-Game Information Two-horned wyverns found in desert zones. They are capable of burrowing into sand to attack from below. Incredibly violent and proud, they are known to unleash terrible wrath when accosted. Taxonomy A wyvern member of the "Blos Family". "Diablos" is spanish for "Devil', which is fitting since it has two horns and is very violent. Diablos and its brethren Monoblos are known for their hard shells, clubbed tails, large horns, and lack of breath attacks. These wyverns rely solely on ramming attacks, tail whips, and general brute force. Their lack of finess may make them somewhat clumsy in combat, but their sheer ferocity and ear piercing roar often make up for this oversight. Habitat Range Only appearing in the Desert regions. Diablos are well suited to arid climates, but their ability to tunnel in sand may limit them to deserts only. With Diablos' lack of a breath attack and limited flight capabilities, it would seem that the creature would easily be harassed or hunted by most true flying wyverns that live in its native area. Either way Diablos is perfectly adapted to its desert home, and there it remains. Ecological Niche Contrary to popular belief, Diablos and its one horned relative Monoblos are herbivores that readily feed on any kind of vegetation in their territory. Diablos numbers are fewer than other large predatory wyverns because of the lack of food sources in the desert but they make up for it by being able to eat and digest literally any kind of vegetation without it having any adverse affect on their digestive system. Males often live so long and engage so many battles that they will commonly lose one of their horns. Diablos have a rather low metabolism for a desert faring creature, and feed relatively seldom (at least 1 entire week out of seven months in the year). Other desert creatures are very wary of Diablos, as males are both temperamental and territorial, especially during the mating season. Even females are territorial, especially during the birthing season which occurs directly after the mating season, which makes those 5 months the most dangerous time to go Blos hunting. Diablos are also quick to ambush desert faring merchant caravans, and desert settlements are often well equipped to face Diablos attack. Diablos are known to feed on several different types of desert vegetation, most commonly giant cacti which can reach sizes of up to 12 feet tall. But with the size of the plants also comes rarity, so Diablos are always on the look out for these rare and succulent food, which leads to frequent territorial disputes. Biological Adaptations Diablos chief adaptation is its twin horns. Both strong and sharp, they can grow to an upwards of 10ft in length, but wear constantly. Diablos' blunt claws on its wings, strong neck muscles which allows them to support their heavy heads and attack with it, and strong hind legs and tail help it to burrow through desert sand. Such powerful muscles also make it formidable in combat, and although Diablos lack any kind of breath attack, they more than make up for it with some of the strongest ramming attacks yet seen. Diablos thick tail serves as a club for self defense, capable of crushing a Tigrex's spine with a well placed impact. Diablos shell and spines are among the strongest around, the only wyverns with thicker shells are those of the Rock Wyvern family such as Gravios. Not surprisngly, Blos Wyverns have few predators that will only turn to hunting them if they are with others of their kind or find a sick or weak blos, Tigrex pairs have been seen fighting Diablos in a few instances. Females give birth to live young (usually one calf, twins are incredibly rare) During this time females will usually travel in herds with other herbivores such as Aptonoths or Apceros to give their young added protection. Lesser herbivores are smart enough to avoid messing with the mother's calve and usually view the large female Diablos as matriarchs. Males will stay on the outskirts of the herd and act as watchmen, alerting the herd of predator by using the Blos Wyvern's famous roar. Calves usually stay with the mother until they reach a set size. At which point the youngsters would instinctively leave the herd and the remaining adults would disperse and live solitary lives until breeding season starts up again next year. Behavior Highly aggressive, even for such a large wyvern. Diablos are considered one of the most aggressive creatures in the Desert. Using the sand as cover, Diablos can launch devastating ambushes on intruders encroaching on their territory. Diablos can also charge great distances very quickly and ram its opponent, promptly goring it with its large horns. Diablos males are ferociously territorial, challenging each other and even large and equally aggressive desert predators such as Tigrex for territory. Males also duel to compete for either territory or females. In such a duel, males will lock horns and attempt to force the other into submission, they will also bite with their short tusks or use their clubbed tail as a hammer. Diablos rarely die from such encounters, as their shells are so thick and durable, but males often walk away with broken bones, cracked horns, and shattered pride. Diablos, as well as members of the entire Blos Wyvern family, are insomniacs, meaning that they rarely go to into a natural state of sleep, or sometimes not at all over long periods of time. These wyverns have so much adrenaline pumping through their bodies, even in a calm state, and this amount skyrockets when the beasts go into Rage mode. As such, the Blos Wyverns find it impossible to settle down to sleep, since their hearts are constantly working overtime to empower bodily functions such as digging, charging and fleeing. This is even more so in the hostile Desert environment where they dwell, forcing Blos wyverns to constantly be on the move. However, once a Blos wyvern is weakened substantially to be captured by hunters, the proper amount of tranquilizer induced to their bodies will be enough to drive them into a rare, albeit restless, sleep. Category:Monster Ecology